Homer News roundup, 11/13

In this week's Homer News:

Pioneer Avenue break-ins continue

A string of burglaries of downtown businesses continued as two more Pioneer Avenue businesses were broken into last week -- one for the second time since May. Burglaries were discovered last Friday morning at Bay Realty and the Homer Bookstore, across the street from each other near the intersection of Pioneer Avenue and Svedlund Street … (read more)

Armstrong, Enstar plan well's future

A decades-long desire to secure a consistent natural gas supply to Homer could take an important step forward today when officials from Armstrong Cook Inlet LLC, a subsidiary of Denver-based Armstrong Oil and Gas, and Anchorage-based Enstar Natural Gas Co. meet to discuss the potential of a newly drilled successful gas well between Homer and Anchor Point … (read more)

Homer's reps get leadership posts in Juneau

Homer will have friends in high places in the upcoming 26th Alaska Legislature, as its two representatives in Juneau, Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, have been named to prominent legislative positions … (read more)

Redoubt advisory issued

The Alaska Volcano Observatory last week changed the volcano alert level for Redoubt Volcano to advisory, with an aviation code level of yellow. In a notice issued Nov. 5, AVO said it changed the alert level due to changes in gas emission and heat output from the volcano about 82 miles west of Kenai in Lake Clark National Park on the west side of Cook Inlet … (read more)

Leak closes Haven House shelter

A plumbing breakdown that started with a child's toy clogging a toilet has closed the shelter at South Peninsula Haven House since late October. Several bathrooms, a bedroom and the kitchen were damaged by water overflowing from the broken plumbing … (read more)

Obama's win fulfills dream for all civil rights activists

I am a son of the South, born in Charlottesville, Va., and raised in Tampa, Fla. I also am a son of the segregated South. Growing up in Tampa before the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, I remember segregated water fountains, segregated beaches, segregated swimming pools and segregated schools. All over the South in the 1960s, you saw Confederate flags on license plates, flown over homes or incorporated into state flags … (read more)

Carey, Chumley right to quit HEA positions

Those involved in government at all levels are hammered when the public perceives they're doing something wrong. When those same people do something right, it deserves to be noted. Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Dave Carey and his Chief of Staff Hugh Chumley did the right thing by resigning from their seats on the Homer Electric Association Board of Directors earlier this week … (read more)

Election night wrap-up (with new photos)

OK, I'll admit it ... when I was at Alice's Tuesday night, snapping photos and taking interviews, I had to stop for a moment when MSNBC called the election for Barack Obama. I put my notebook and camera down and just soaked it in for a minute.

It was intense, the feeling that a tide has turned in this country ... that we as Americans have embraced something new and taken a bold step into uncharted territory. It's been said a million times in the last couple of days, but it's true: this was an historic moment. At Alice's, filled to capacity with Obama supporters, there were tears, hugs and yelling and screaming.

It was pretty cool. Here's the full story.

And here are a few photos ...

Frani Scheffel makes a few last minute "get out the vote" calls at Democratic Party HQ on Election Day.

Amy Christiansen makes her voice heard across Pioneer Avenue from a McCain/Palin rally.

11-year-old McCain supporter Trevor Luchaco and his buddy Dakota Alward (left) shout, "Don't be insane! Vote for McCain!" at passers-by on Pioneer Avenue.

Alice's was the place to be Tuesday night for Obama supporters. Here they are, waitng ... waiting ... waiting ...

"Barack Obama elected president"

I didn't get these folks' names, but they were pretty representative of what was gong on at Alice's - tears and hugs all around. What a night.

Can you dig it?!!

Remember The Warriors (circa 1979)? Thanks to Neil for turning me on to this little YouTube gem ...

Homer News election roundup, 11/6

In this week's Homer News ...

Obama takes nation; McCain wins Homer

Homer joined the nation Tuesday in becoming part of one of the most exciting election campaigns in American history an election still being pondered as Alaskans weighed the significance of the first African-American president-elect, Sen. Barack Obama, and the elevation of Gov. Sarah Palin to the national scene … (read more)

Seaton wins fourth term

Homer Republican Rep. Paul Seaton was re-elected to a fourth term Tuesday, besting Democratic challenger and political newcomer Philip Alderfer by a wide margin. Of 5,269 votes cast in the race for House District 35, Seaton received 3,656 votes, or 69.4 percent, to Alderfer's 1,601. Those numbers do not include votes cast by absentee ballots, which will be counted by Nov. 14 … (read more)

Homer votes early in record numbers

Following a growing statewide and national trend, hundreds of Homer residents voted early in the 2008 general election. According to the Homer city clerk's office, 1,237 people, or roughly 9 percent of the District 35 electorate, cast their votes early at Homer City Hall, where absentee-in-person voting began Oct. 20 … (read more)

Peninsula re-elects incumbents

Incumbent Republican Sen. Tom Wagoner finished election night with a very healthy lead in the race in Alaska Senate District Q, but there are so many absentee ballots yet to be counted that numerically, at least, it is still possible for him to lose to his Democratic Party opponent Nels Anderson … (read more)